Robin's Story
by mylittlehacker
Summary: A bunch of one shots, songfics, and chapter stories about everyone's favorite little bird - because you know I had to. A range from Chalant to Traught and everywhere in between! Chapter 4 - First Chapter Story! READ IT, I think you'll like it. Originally 'Songs of a Robin'.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! Sorry about not being able to update some of my stories. I'm working on them, but I can't completely manage long chapters right now. But - I ****don't want to not post** _**anything**__**, **_**so here we are.**

**These are ****one shots and songfics mainly based on the Boy Wonder. Seriously - what did you expect, coming from me? I list fangirling over Robin as a _hobby_. **

**Anyhoo, I've wanted to do some of these for a while, because I've found a freaking ton of songs that fit Robin's personality, story, etc.**

**This first one is kind of a no-brainer.**

**I mean, _Jesse McCartney _sings this one.  
**

**Duh.**

**Ok, on with the story! I love you all- **

**Robin: WAIT!**

**Me: WHAT IS IT NOW?!**

**Robin: Aren't you forgetting something? _Somebody's _obviously not feeling the aster.**

**Me: Oh yeah. *huffs* I don't own anything. Bite me! Happy now?**

**Robin: I'm whelmed. **

**Me: _Finally_.**

**BTW, its a REALLY good idea to look up this song and listen to it while you read. Have I ever led you guys wrong? NOOO...**

* * *

**_I'll Try_**

* * *

Robin could see his own breath fan out in a mist in front of him as he ran. He had to get out. Had to _escape_ from all the pity and the sympathy and the _remorse_ he could to easily read in the gazes of his teammates. It had always been bad, but now that it was _the_ night,it was so much worse. The night the Boy Wonder was proclaimed as an orphan.

He wasn't a _kid_ anymore. He was sick and tired of hearing the voices in his head, repeating themselves over and over again. _'You do have the most experience, but perhaps that is exactly what has left you __unprepared.' 'Dude, you're a thirteen year old _kid_, who ducked out on us without a word.'_

That was before they had known. God, why had he told them? He shouldn't have. Now they treated him differently. Looked at him differently. He knew too late that it was a bad idea to confide his secrets in them. And now he had to deal with the consequences.

.

Can't they see that he's just as good as them? It was over now, anyway. He couldn't bear to act like it was nothing. So there he was, flying over the rooftops. Doing his best to get as far away from the mountain as possible. But at least now he had an idea of where he was going.

He could take care of himself. Even as he struggled to keep the tears back, he knew that he had to leave. Go solo. He was sure Batman would understand. Being in a team was a bad idea from the start. Maybe Roy had been right all along. Maybe this 'Junior Justice League' was a _joke._

.

He'd always be different. M'gann had her uncle. Wally had his, plus both of his parents. Kaldur had his king, of course. Robin didn't know what he had back in Atlantis. He would guess he had some sort of family. Artemis had her mother, and her father. He might be evil, but at least he was _alive_. Even Connor had Superman. He wasn't much, but they shared a resemblance. And they _did_ have a bond, even though the Man of Steel wouldn't admit it aloud.

Batman? Yeah, Batman was his father. No blood relation. No resemblance, besides the somewhat similar thick raven hair. But he was.

That's true, but the Dark Knight was also many other things. A millionaire, a businessman, a playboy, and a cold, heartless vigilant that locked out his emotions to keep himself from getting hurt and to keep his enemies terrified.

It wasn't the same for obvious reasons.

He tried to tell himself that he didn't feel the shining liquid rolling down his cheeks.

Robin could see darkness blur his vision as rage took over through the tears.

He knew he had to leave. They didn't see the Robin they did before. He couldn't do anything without being protected and sheltered by his 'friends'.

He was seen now as a fragile, broken _child_ with no skill,

no strength,

and no parents.

He knew he couldn't stay. So that's why he made the decision. He was still alive. The man that took _everything_ from him was still breathing.

For now.

.

He'd strived for years to be as good. Since he was eight, since _it_ happened, he'd wanted to be as good. He was the only human, along with Artemis. But even she had her bow, her arrows. Archery was her element. Without his shiny little explosives, what did Robin have?

He knew. He was a second-class acrobat with his dead parents' shoes to fill. What kind of legacy is that?

His throat is cold from the freezing night air. He's long past lost feeling in his fingers and toes.

But despite all this, he kept running. He whipped out a grappling gun and jumped off the roof. He raised his arm, shooting it towards the next one and letting his body glide with the agility that he was blind to. The cold wind whipped through his hair, his body almost lost in the shadows of the city. The Boy Wonder was so caught up in his emotions, his anger, his determination, that he failed to notice shadows silently following him.

One was speeding down on the streets below.

One was running next to him, surprisingly quiet for his size.

A third was flying higher above.

The next was latched onto the third, terrified but no where near to admitting it.

The last was on a cycle beside the others, the sound of wheels racing along the cement lost in so many others.

No, Robin did not notice any of this. His anger made his movements more rugged and sharp as he twisted through the air.

He knew he was here. He'd heard the rumors, and he knew that he was close. Just turn...here. Robin had already pinpointed his location before he left, suspecting that the he would do something like this.

Tony Zucco was a dead man.

.

Robin swung in from the rooftops, kicking open the door with both feet.

And oh, God, there he was. Sitting in a desk chair, looking _right at him._

"Hello, Robin."

The words cut through him like a knife.

"Zucco."

He was surprised at how calm his voice was, only just hinting at the rage and coldness he felt.

The man stood, rubbing his hands together. "I was planning on you coming tonight, my boy. You're quite predictable."

Robin ground his teeth, taking a step forward.

And again - he didn't notice. Batman would _not_ be pleased.

The entire team had also arrived, albeit at a safe distance to not be heard.

Wally looked at his best friend with wide eyes, barely able to hold himself back from swooping in to prevent what he knew would happen. Superboy was clenching his fists in anger, wanted to beat the snot out of this 'Zucco' for causing the bird so much anguish. Artemis had an arrow already notched, taking aim. Just in case. M'gann had one hand at her forehead, her fingers pressed to her temple. Her eyes were not glowing, but they would be in a moments notice. Aqualad alone seemed to be perfectly at ease, a calm expression on his face. _Stand down, my friends._ His voice echoed through the mind link, thanks to M'gann. _He will do the right thing. I am sure of it._

Tony Zucco smirked. "Oh don't give me that face, little boy. Don't want to disappoint your _parents_, now would we?"

Ok, now _that_ was the last straw.

Robin lunged at the man, bringing his fist back. It was expected, and Zucco leaped out of the chair and to the side at the same moment. He reached out swiftly, grabbing the Boy Wonder's wrist and twisted it painfully behind his back. Robin cried out in surprise, then stifled it with a hiss of anger.

Zucco leaned in close. "What did it feel like, Boy Wonder? Did you hear the way their bones shattered? Did you see the blood splatter across the floor? I did."

Robin couldn't hold back the tears now.

"Don't- Don't you DARE!"

He ducked under the older man's arm, taking hold of it and using it to fling the him across the room. The team, still watching from the shadows, either had frightened looks on their faces or were closing their eyes altogether.

"HOW COULD YOU!" Robin was shrieking, taking a step forward to where the man was lying on the floor, struggling to get up. "HOW COULD YOU TAKE THEM AWAY, JUST LIKE THAT! JUST A CHILD! That's all I was!" His voice cracked at the end, and he hated himself for it.

Zucco stood, finally. "Correction," he said. The _nerve_. "You still _are_ a child, my boy. That hasn't changed."

No words. No more _words_.

.

Robin flew at his enemy, his cape flying behind him like wings. A snarl had made its way to his delicate features, masked eyes burning with a fury that could be felt through the fabric.

At the last second - right before the collided with the man - he leaped in the air, twisting so that his feet were pointed towards the roof and his nose to the ground. His body curved, his arms held outwards at his sides. As if he were still a performer. As if his mother was about to catch him.

He brought one foot forward slightly, but Zucco couldn't have had any time to react. With a sickening _CRACK!, _a steel enforced boot connected with his jaw, sending him flying backwards.

M'gann couldn't control the gasp that escaped her lips, despite her hands that flew up to clamp over her mouth a second later. Robin did detect that, with the slight shift of his ears and twitch of his head. He knew they were there. He was just beyond caring.

Instead of turning to them, he walked silently up to Zucco. In sheer desperation, the older man reached one hand into a pocket inside his jacket, taking out a handgun. The other was cradling his now-broken jaw.

Robin was instantly on high-alert, jerking forward before he had a chance to pull the trigger and ripping it from his hand.

The boy eyed it carefully, battling something deep within himself.

Without a word, or so much as a sound, he raised it and point it at the head of his parent's murderer.

"No!"

Robin knew who it was, no need to turn around and look.

Wally bolted through the door, uncaring of his team's protests that...weren't there. The rest followed him, coming at a stop a couple yards away from the Boy Wonder.

"Rob. Come on, man, put down the gun." The speedster stepped forward, his brow creased in worry. He reached out to put a hand on the other boy's shoulder, but a voice stopped him.

"Don't touch me, Wally. Or I'll shoot." Robin, to show the seriousness of the situation (as if they didn't already know), clicked off the gun's safety. His hands were steady, showing no sign of the emotion boiling inside of him.

Throughout this, Zucco's face showed no expression, but his eyes were shining with fear.

Maybe that's what caught Robin off guard.

This man was afraid of him. _This murderer was afraid of him._ Robin was pointing a _gun_ at another man's _head._ Threatening to _kill_ him.

He took a step back, and the gun fell from his hand, clattering against the cold, unforgiving granite floor.

"Oh- oh, God."

Robin could feel the tears prick at his eyes again as he took another stumbling step backwards. It was Artemis that came up to take his hand - the hand he had _almost_ used to_ take a life_.

"Its alright, Robin. We're here."

He ripped his hand from her grasp, startling them all. "No. You can't protect me anymore. I can take care of _myself_."

He growled out the last word, sending a glare at Zucco that made him flinch.

"We are aware of that, Robin." Kaldur stepped up, placing himself firmly next to the smaller boy. "I am sure that many of us cannot fathom what you have endured. But we aren't treating you differently because we do not believe you are capable, my friend."

Robin turned his head to look at his teammate, confusion spreading across his tear-stained face.

"We're worried about you because we are you're _family_, Rob. That's how it is." Kidflash was there again, and his statement was followed up with nods from both Superboy and M'gann, who had also moved closer.

"We're worried about you because we _love_ you." The red-head cracked a small smile. "Get used to it, bro."

.

Robin saw them. _Really_ saw them, for the first time. Throw teammates out the window - these people, these painfully wonderful people, _were_ his family. It may not be the real thing, but it was a close second. These were people that loved him from the inside out, ignoring the darkness inside of him and instead focusing on the light.

And he realized then that he loved them, too.

Robin glanced back at Zucco.

The man that took everything he had. The man that looked at an orphan boy and laughed, not knowing sorrow or regret.

Until now. Now he regretted his evil, because it had come so close to costing him his life.

And then the Boy Wonder made another decision.

"I forgive you."

The whisper was barely heard, but the reaction was instantaneous. Zucco's expression ranged from confusion, to disbelief, to incredulity.

"Robin?" M'gann widened her eyes.

"I forgive you," he went on, his voice gaining strength, "for killing my family, because without you, I wouldn't have all that I do now. And, by the way, I _know_ they would have been proud."

With that, Robin turned his back on the criminal that had haunted his nightmares for eight years exactly. He retook Artemis' hand and led them all out of the building, his steps unwavering. He was done mourning. He loved his parents, and he always would, but he thought that now it was high time that he let them go.

.

As they made they're way outside, Robin tightened his hand around Artemis' before letting it go.

"Thank you," he said to the group as a whole, not just to anyone in particular. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up with mild surprise to see Superboy, a slight smile on his face. "No problem, Robin. Now let's go home."

"Thank God," Wally commented with a huff. "I'm _starving_."

Robin couldn't help the cackled that escaped his lips as the rest of the team laughed along.

"Oh please, Baywatch," Artemis said, shoving him. "What else is new."

"Let us go," Kaldur said, smiling. "I feel that we have some catching up to do."

Megan squealed, and the team continued past the streets, finally heading home. Wally sped up, zipping ahead. M'gann grabbed Artemis' arms, taking her high in the air before she could protest. Conner ran after Wally, chuckling. Kaldur started his cycle and, after giving Robin a slight nod, head after him.

Robin - well, Robin flew.

Taking out a grappling gun, he shot it at the nearest rooftop, taking a running start before leaping into the air and letting his body soar with a grace that he _knew_ that he possessed. He shot across the sky, letting a whoop of pure ecstasy escape his lips.

Over Kaldur, Wally, and Conner, who were down below on the streets. Under Artemis and M'gann, who were higher above in the night sky. Robin was in the middle, held in a warm embrace. Right where he belonged - with his _family_.

.

* * *

**WOW, my hands hurt. That was A LOT longer than I expected. I am a freaking ****hypocrite. Sue me. **

**ANYWAY, I hope you guys liked it, because it took me a REALLY LONG TIME. Leave your thoughts in some reviews!**

**Sorry if that ending sucked, I got major writer's block monsters in my closet.**

**I love you all!**

**- Lizzie**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Mistletoe

**Pairing: **Traught (Robin and Artemis)

**Rating:** T (OMG, for Traught _and _teen! SQUEEE!

**Summary: **It's Christmas, and all of the Young Justice members are full of spirit. Well, all but one. However, I'm sure there'll be _something_ to cheer her up! Maybe all the love in the air will make the season more jolly for a certain archer...

* * *

Artemis huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

Everything was just too..._happy_ around here. People were still setting up the decorations. M'gann had insisted that they go all-out, since it was her first Christmas on Earth. (Why was it so important to her anyway? It was just a holiday.)

Now, there was hardly a space that wasn't completely covered in garland, holly, and...mistletoe. Artemis shuddered.

Currently, all of her teammates were busy doing something proactive. Most of them, anyway.

M'gann was in the kitchen baking sugar cookies. The smell wafted through the open doorway, blanketing the the entire mountain in warmth. Artemis wasn't fazed. She was determined to have a sucky Christmas, just to prove to Kidretard that it was possible.

Speaking of the devil, Wally was also in the kitchen, but for a less helpful reason. Flirting with M'gann, of course. She could here the cheesy pick up lines from the other room.

Roy was helping Kaldur and Zatanna hang up wreathes over the fireplace. They were laughing- she guessed Zatanna had said something funny.

Red Arrow had decided to show up, saying something about missing his brothers. She didn't know exactly what he meant, but she assumed it had something to do with Wally and Robin. They seemed really close.

Robin...where was he? Artemis could have sworn he had just been lighting candles around the tables. Who's idea it was to give him a lighter, she didn't know.

Too late, she realized what was about to happen.

Out of nowhere, a figure dropped from above her and onto her shoulders. The weight was surprisingly light, but it still made Artemis lose her balance.

"Robin!" she cried as she fell hard on her rear. The body moved off of her shoulders, coming around to look at her.

"Jeez Arty, I'm sorry. I didn't know you would-" Artemis cut him off with a playful shove. (Did she say playful? She should have pushed him harder.)

"It's fine, Boy Blunder."

He grinned at her then, as she rolled her eyes. The smile seemed to light up his face, no doubt his eyes were shining behind those damned sunglasses.

Before she could shove her emotions back down to where they came from, Artemis found herself smiling, too.

She met his eyes - well, not really. Did she mention how much she hated those sunglasses?

The point is, they shared a moment.

And in that moment, Artemis (cold, hard, emotionless Artemis who showed no feelings except for anger) felt her heart melting.

Her hand reached up, as if on its own accord, to touch the edge of his sunglasses. When he didn't pull away, she feel a little thrill in her chest. (Why didn't he pull away? He should have pulled away.)

And she was so close, if she could only grasp the dark shades a pull them off and se-

"ROBIN AND ART-E-MIS, SITTIN' IN A TREE. K-I-S-S-I-N-AHH!" Wally's interruption was, well, _interrupted_ (for lack of a better term) when Robin's hand shot out, and a bird-a-rang lodged itself in the wall not an inch from where the speedster's head rested. Wally jumped ten feet in the air, an _I-just-wet-my-pants _look on his face. "Dude, _not cool!_"

Robin cackled, completely unfazed by what Artemis could have - _should_ have done. (Oh, how she wanted to do it.)

Artemis, on the other hand, was definitely fazed. (Robin had rubbed off on her - his butchery of the English language must have affected her vocabulary.)

"Wow, Kidiot. Real mature. Why don't you go back to making out with your mirror?"

Robin's laughter stopped, and was replaced with a: "Oooooh! BURN!"

Wally's face turned as red as his hair. "Whatever, _Artichoke_. Catch ya later, love birds."

Robin rolled his eyes as Wally made his way back to the kitchen. Before he could resume his flirting with Miss Martian, though, she flew out of the doorway, nearly colliding with the frightened speedster.

"Cookies!" She squealed, holding out the pan of the sugary treats proudly. Surprisingly, not a single one was burnt.

The team eagerly surrounded her, (Mostly Wally - it always is.) but Artemis and Robin hung back. The Boy Wonder glanced at her and gave that half-smile that made her heart do little jumping jacks inside of her chest.

"Come on," he said, dragging her behind him as he made his way to the rest of the group.

* * *

So far, the Artemis still refused to be happy.

That melting process Robin had started had stopped abruptly after Wally's little antics. Her arms were crossed now, and she was watching the others as they gathered together in groups under that wretched _mistletoe. _In her opinion, mistletoe had to be the _stupidest_ invention man had ever come up with.

M'gann was currently under it with Superboy - they seemed to always be with each other. Wally was sulking out at the side.

Artemis chuckled. Kidflash was so stupid when it came to relationships.

She couldn't be sure, but she could have sworn she had seen Zatanna and Roy similarly occupied a few minutes prior.

Then she noticed that Kaldur was murmuring something to Robin - and Artemis realized that the Boy Wonder had his eyes fixed on her. _What are they talking about?_ she mused, smirking at him to let him know he'd been caught. (Busted, he was _so_ busted, but what did he do?)

No, instead of turning red like she expected, he smirked right back. Of course.

And then he was walking over to her, and _damn,_ the _nerve _that kid had was a little unsettling.

Kaldur let him go, an amused look on his face as he casted her a knowing glance. (What was _he_ up to?)

But it was too late to find out, because Boy Wonder had already reached her.

"Artemis," he said, so blunt and sure of himself that it surprised her, which was unusual.

"Robin," she said, because she was _not _the type to be nervous and back down from whatever challenge he was laying on the table.

She had absolutely no idea what he was planning before he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and _kissed_ her, just like that. No warning, no explanation.

And she couldn't help but kiss him back, even though it was uncalled-for and she really should have pushed him away, maybe throwing in a slap or two for good measure.

But really, did she even have a choice? His lips were so soft on her own, and the way he just slid his fingers in between her scalp and her ponytail was kind of intoxicating, even if it meant she would have to redo the hairstyle later.

So, (being the complete moron she was), she wrapped her arms around his neck and let her lips part slightly, thanking all the gods she could think of that he had grown to her hight in that last year.

It took all of her will not to moan when his tongue slipped past her lips, meeting her's half way.

And she was really enjoying it now, but he pulled away slowly, letting his lips linger on her's for a moment longer.

That boy was a _good_ kisser, even if she'd never admit it aloud.

He looked at her when they were a few inches away, and she took that moment to take a swift glance around the room, expecting Wally to make an annoying comment any second now-

But they were alone.

_Oh._

She had no doubt in her mind that _that's_ what Kaldur was scheming, and _that's_ what that knowing glance must have meant.

She looked back at Robin, and was mildly hysterical when she noticed that tiny sliver of _blue_ just barely showing from the tops of the boy's heavily tinted glasses.

But she wouldn't call it out on him. No, not when she could so easily use this information against him. Batman would be _pissed._

Robin pointed an index finger up, to somewhere above them, stopping the thoughts.

She looked up and - _shit._

Mistletoe.

Of course.

But she couldn't find herself to hate it anymore. In fact, she was fairly certain that she had to get under it with the Boy Wonder again soon.

Because when she looked back at him and he gave her a smirk before leaning in to kiss her again- she would be lying if she said she didn't feel a spark.

And she didn't know what she would do if she didn't feel it because -

_Mmm, that boy._


	3. Chapter 3

**Yo! I love the reviews guys, you know I do. THEY MAKE ME HAPPY! **

**But anyway, I decided to update because I'm craving things like this. I don't know why, so don't ask.**

**Maybe because the first chapter was pretty depressing, I've decided to do something a little more happy.**

**LOOK OVER HERE! I'm giving special ****shout-outs to:**

**Cirruz The Night Elf: I love it when you review for me ;) and SQUEE! I love my double-asterous-whelming-thumps-up! Ur amazing, chika!**

**Bobby Corwen: Ok YOU, my friend, are pretty flipping fantastic. I'm glad that a) you read a lot of fanfics about Robin almost killing Zucco and b) that you like mine! Thanks for the confidence boost ;D  
**

**AGAIN, this one is by Jesse McCartney. Don't judge, I'm just kind of addicted.**

**Back to the chapter! Just so Robin doesn't have to remind me, I'll say it now.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Young Justice, Jesse McCartney, or any of his music/lyrics. Just a fangirl. *tear***

**By the way, this song is called "Tryin'", and I couldn't find it to listen to like ANYWHERE, but I found it here-**

**h|t|t|p|:|/|/|s|o|c|i|a|l|b|u|t|t|e|r|f|l|i|e|s|.|w|o|r|d|p|r|e|s|s|.|c|o|m|/|2|0|1|0|/|0|6|/|1|0|/|f|i|r|s|t|-|l|i|s|t|e|n|-|j|e|s|s|e|-|m|c|c|a|r|t|n|e|y|-|t|r|y|i|n|/|**

**{take out the |s}**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The first time it happened, the team was piled on the sofa, panting. Well - most of them, anyway.

Robin was nowhere in sight. Not surprising, but still. They had all just recovered from a tough day of training, and the Boy Wonder should probably be there with them.

"Where's Rob?" Wally glanced up at the rafters warily, as if expecting a small, hyper, lithe little acrobat to come swooping down at any moment.

"Training," Superboy replied immediately, able to pick up the sounds of hands connecting with uneven bars and wind whipping past the form as he flew through the air.

Artemis glanced over. "_Still?_ We've been training for _hours,_ and he's still in there?" She shook her head and stood, clapping her hands together.

"Well, I say we all stalk him until he gets done so we can go to the movies or something."

Wally whooped, rising as well. "That is the _only _time I will _ever_ agree with you, Artifact."

The archer rolled her eyes, heading towards the training room that she knew the Boy Wonder would be working out. Wally zipped ahead. Kaldur shared a glance with Connor before they both followed, the latter pulling Miss Martian with him.

When the rest of the team caught up to Wally, he was staring at the scene with his jaw on the floor.

Artemis was two seconds from sending him a snappy comment, but she was interrupted when he pressed his hand over her mouth.

Either this was _really_ important, or Wally was seriously asking for a black eye, and maybe a few bruised ribs to get the message across.

Everyone (except the speedster, of course) froze, however, when they heard it.

_Singing._

Well, he _was_ the Boy Wonder - obviously he would be able to carry a tune. Maybe no one was expecting him to be _that good._

The melody drifted through the open doors as the teens peeked through. It was pretty damn impressive - Artemis thought - that he could spin and twist in the air like that, and still keep his voice from wavering or pausing. His body arched in ways that _had_ to be painful. Or, like, _death defying. _But that pretty summed Robin up, naturally.

His voice was clear as day and as light as a feather.

And it sounded oddly familiar.

* * *

The second time it happened was when he put that training to good use.

Clayface was on a rampage..._again_...and the team had been called to the Mission Room to go and "deal with it".

After locking in on the monster's location, the teens were making their way through the city in their little hero-y ways.

Kaldur was on his cycle, weaving through cars on the street at eighty miles per hour.

Wally was - typically - speeding next to him, making stupid jokes as they passed civilian's stunned faces.

Connor jumped from steel-inforced rooftop to the next, being more careful than usual so as not to cave it in.

M'gann and Artemis were flying close to him in the sky. Artemis' hands were white around her bow and M'gann were secured under the blond's arms.

The way of it all reminded the Boy Wonder of...before. He didn't like to think about it now.

Said Boy Wonder was currently swinging through the air, close to the others. He shot off of his grapple line and landed in a run on the next roof.

He whooped in ecstasy as he free-fell off of it, coming dangerously (in M'gann's opinion) close to the cars below. A rope wrapped around the light post ahead, and he swung back up, bringing his knees to his chest to avoid brushing against the the hood of the red Lexus below him.

Despite the fact that they were about to plunge themselves into the worst the city had to offer, Robin couldn't help but let the lyrics spill out when he was back on the roofs, much to the girls' surprise and delight.

He didn't notice. He kind of...lost himself, when he sang. But in a way, he _found_ himself, as well.

People walking below turned their heads at the sound, some letting their jaws drop. Not ever had the boy let himself sing in front of so many people, even if he wasn't paying attention to it.

He didn't care. He didn't bother to glance at the martian and the archer, who were sharing smug looks before breaking out into smiles.

He was his own person now- not a sidekick.

* * *

The third time, it was more of a force situation.

Bored out of their minds, they had to settle with a last-resort type entertainment.

"Alright, Green Cheeks. Truth or dare?"

M'gann thought for a moment.

"Uh, truth, I guess."

The team was huddled together in Mt. Justice, waiting for a call from Batman. The speedster sat in between Artemis and Conner. M'gann was next to the kryptonian, and Robin's right. On the Boy Wonder's other side was Kaldur, who completed the circle by his position beside Artemis.

Wally rested his chin in his hand before perking up again.

"What would ya _do-o-o_, for a Klondike bar?"

Artemis rolled her eyes. Of _course_ Kidiot would ask that. M'gann just smiled. After living on Earth for nearly three years, she knew what he meant.

"Wally West, I would do _anything_ for a klondike bar."

Giggling at Wally's drooling, the martian turned to Artemis.

"Truth or dare, Artemis?" The archer didn't hesitate. She wasn't the one to back down from a challenge, and she didn't know of anything that bad that the green-skinned girl could come up with.

"Dare."

M'gann was obviously expecting this.

"I dare you to get on your hands and knees and bark like a dog whenever anyone first chooses either truth or dare."

Artemis shrugged. That wasn't too bad, and it wasn't exceedingly embarras-

"For the _rest of the game_."

Artemis' jaw dropped, because the chick _had_ to have planned this with Wally before the game began.

"_Fine_," she said curtly, crossing her arms.

She glanced around the circle. Kaldur, Superboy, and Robin still had yet to take their turns.

So she just had to figure out who to-

Oh.

_Hell_, yes.

There was a wicked gleam in her eyes when she called out, "Boy Wonder, I choose you."

Robin rolled his eyes and sat forward. "Bring it on, Arrowhead."

"Truth or dare?" She shot back, already knowing the answer. The was _Robin_ they were talking about, after all.

"Dare," he said, because he wasn't about to back down when Artemis hadn't.

After an embarrassing round of barking that left Wally rolling on the floor with laughter, she sat back, regaining what little dignity she could.

"Now that _that's_ over with." She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, glancing back at the bird. To his credit, he had managed to hold back the laughter and was now smirking at her, waiting to see what she could come up with.

"Sing."

Now _that_ caught him off guard,

"Excuse me?"

"Go on, Boy Blunder. You heard me."

Robin blushed a little and looked down.

"Um, no thanks."

Wally stepped in, wagging his finger back and forth.

"Ah ah ah, little birdie. You _have_ to."

Robin crossed his arms indignantly. "I don't _have _to do anything."

Kidflash rolled his eyes. "Come on, Rob. _Please_?" The ebony made the mistake of looking over at his red-headed friend. His emerald eyes were wide and he jutted out his bottom lip, clasping his hands under his chin pleadingly.

Not even Batman's protégé could deny _that_. He groaned.

"Fine, KF. Now knock it off."

Wally bumped fists with Artemis, which was a little strange.

Robin glared at the archer, who just smirked back at his. After taking a nervous glance around the room, he opened his mouth -somewhat hesitantly at first- and let it flood out.

It was his gift from his mother, the singing. She could do it so beautifully, and her native Romani tongue made it all the better.

He didn't have to hold that back now. He could sing as loud as he pleased and he was convinced they wanted him to. Why else would they dare him to?

This time he _did_ notice the way M'gann let her eyes close and a small smile form on her lips. He saw the way Superboy's shoulders relaxed; lost their tension that had been building up there for who knows how long. He noticed how Artemis sighed and leaned her head on her hand, tapping the beat with the fingers of the other. He saw the smile Wally sent him, eyes sparkling. He could practically feel the Atlantian sitting next to him lose his anxiety. The look of stress on his face melted to one of contentment.

Robin smiled into the song, and tapped the beat of it with Artemis on his calves with the palms of his hands.

He could hear both his mother and his father in his voice. His father's strong stability, and his mother's fragility and grace. And he loved it.

Oh, how they loved it.

* * *

**Well, there it is! **_  
_

**Give me your thoughts, y'all know it I love to hear what you have to say.**

**Shucks, pick up a random conversation! I'm game!**

**I love you all!**

**-Lizzie**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, guys! So I decided to write this ****because...well, I just have a lot of feels, okay? A LOT of feels.**

**I know how great it is that Robin it human. And I totally get how he wants to show everyone that just because he is, doesn't mean he can't be a fantastic hero.**

**Yeah, yeah, yeah. **

**I don't know about you guys, but I ADORE the idea of Robin having powers that he keeps from the team. Seriously, how f***king awesome would that be?! So, this is where this particular story came up.**

**And another thing - does it annoy anybody else when people are gushing over how perfect Robin is at _everything_ in their stories?**

**I mean, I know he's the Boy Wonder and all- and, don't get me wrong- I'm totally in love with him (is that weird?), but he's _thirteen_, and nobody's perfect. And yes, I partially just did that to get Hannah Montana stuck in your head XD.**

**Seriously though, it kind of irks me. I honestly like the story that Dick messes up in. I think it makes him look more human, which is what he wants. **

**Yes, I think he's an effing fantastic singer. Yes, he's a badass acrobat. Yes, he's inhumanly _gorgeous_.**

**But he's also just like any other human, and he messes up sometimes.**

**I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS, OK?!**

**Leave me your thoughts in reviews!**

**Bobby Corwen**** - No prob! Thanks for those amazing words, you have no idea what it means to me :) And hmm...I think I'm going to have to go with apple pie too...idk haha. Pie is pie, for me XD**

**Well, here we go th-**

**Robin: You _seriously_ need to get tracted.**

**Me: Oh come _on_, Bird Boy. *Flips hair dramatically* I'll admit that I don't own you the day you let me play with your hair. *winks suggestively***

**Robin: OKAY, _I'll _do it. Lizzie does not own me, DC, or any of the other Young Justice members. And _especially _not my hair.**

**Me: But I WANT TO TOUCH IT!**

**Robin: NEVER! *screeches and runs in the other direction* **

**Me: WAIT! COME BACK! *chases***

**Anyway.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Why does it _always_ have to start with covert missions?

I mean, honestly, can't anything _ever_ be simple?

It seems like everything _must_ to go wrong, no matter which way we spin it. No matter what we could have done differently, we're all doomed some way or another.

This has to be one of the worst yet.

I know what you're thinking. _How could anything _possibly _be worse than you've been dealt before?_ _  
_

It was worse.

Way, _way_ worse. Which brings us to the point of the story:

I _know_ I have my secrets. Everyone does - some, unfortunately, more than others.

I'm one of those people.

And, believe it or not, being the protégé of the 'Goddamn Batman' doesn't really help. He's the most secretive of his team, and I'm the most secretive of my own.

But there's one secret of mine that even my second father doesn't know. That particular aspect of my life died along with my original parents.

Until now.

_No one_ _should know._

That's what I've been telling myself for the last five years. I know that letting anyone know about..._this..._would put them in danger.

The truth is, I'm not..._who_, or, rather, _what_ I say I am.

Its hard to take in, I know. I'm supposed to be that human that can do anything, to show kids that had their hearts ripped out and stomped to pieces that _they_ can do anything.

And I _am_.

Mostly.

* * *

|**BIOSHIP, SOMEWHERE ABOVE HAPPY HARBOR**  
|December 06, 01:42 EST

My fingers tightened their grip on the armrest of my seat on the Bioship.

And then they unclench themselves, because I know M'gann will be able to feel it.

Why am I so tense, you ask? I honestly don't know myself.

Its just this feeling in my gut, like something _awful_ is about to happen. I've dealt with it before.

Like in the few split seconds of frozen moments before both my mother and father plummeted to their deaths.

It sounds pretty dark, but its true.

And that feeling is back, and it scares me. But there _can't_ be anything to worry about, because Batman assigned this mission and it had to be legit.

So I let myself relax, tuning into Wally and Artemis' newest argument.

"-and _really, _Kidiot, if you say _one_ more thing about it, I'm _going_ to smash your face into a wall."

"Whatever, _Artichoke. _Its not _my_ fault you can't focus on your job!"

Oh, not _this_ again.

"Like you haven't messed up ever, Baywatch! Existing, for example. Or breathing! Take your pick!"

"Gee, I haven't heard _that _one before! Did the old joke store you shop at close, Arrowhead?"

The dispute was interrupted by a weary-looking Aqualad.

"Kidflash, Artemis. It might be best if we focused on the task at hand."

Wally snorted. "What task? A robbery? I'm honestly kind of insulted."

"For once, I agree," Artemis said, looking mildly horrified that she had just sided with the speedster. "Why can't the police handle this?"

"Batman said it was high end," I said, ignoring the exasperated glance from Kidflash.

"Which _means_," I continued, "he probably wants to get rid of us. Most likely because he has a mission he wants to discuss with the League..._alone._"

"Ha!" Wally cried, pointing at Kaldur. "There's no point in this!"

Aqualad stayed calm, which was an impressive thing when facing up against Flash's nephew.

"And yet, we will still complete the mission. It is our duty."

"Can we stop arguing and get on with it?" That was Superboy.

"We're here," M'gann added helpfully, landing the Bioship on the roof of a building.

_Finally,_ I thought, standing up when the straps holding me in place let me go.

I let the hole under me appear before I dropped down onto solid ground.

* * *

So far, this mission wasn't at all worthy of its of being called a 'high end robbery'.

Twelve men had been caught stealing from the jewelry store below the roof we had landed on. Twelve of them against the six of us?

No problem.

We took them out quickly and efficiently, tying them up one by one as they were knocked unconscious.

That's when I started to notice the signs.

The air in the room felt heavy, as if there were something strange in it.

Why hadn't the alarm gone off? I was sure that this store didn't have a silent one; I'd been there when it'd been robbed before.

_None _of the cases had been broken. When we had arrived, the thugs had just been standing around, as if they were waiting for us.

My eyes widened. I knew _exactly_ what was happening, and I cursed myself for not noticing it earlier even as my limbs grew heavier.

"Guys!" I called, trying to get the other's attention before it was too late.

"We have to get out, its a tra-!"

My words were cut off by insane laughter, seeming to be coming from everywhere and nowhere.

My vision blurred, but I could still see how my friends stumbled, how the few thugs left conscious didn't seemed at all affected. _Gas masks_. They put them on just moments before.

And the laughter went on and on, even as my eyelids fluttered.

One by one, I saw my teammates drop to the floor, overcome by the gases in the air that I knew so well.

I dropped to my knees, and still the laughter continued.

Darkness surrounded my vision, and the only thing that was still real was the insanity echoing in my head.

As I let the blackness take me, I held on to one more thought.

_I _really_ need to trust my gut more often._

* * *

When I woke up, there wasn't much to see.

Like, literal pitch-black darkness.

I shifted uncomfortably on the cold ground under me, struggling to regain my awareness and disperse the feeling that an elephant was sitting on my chest.

I took a deep breath and assessed the situation the way Batman trained me.

_Sight? _Already explained that - can't see anything. And not because the room is dark; I can feel a thick blindfold on my skin.

_Hearing? _Nothing. Either the rest of the team is in a different room, or they're just not awake yet. It was slightly unnerving how silent everything was, even if I still had maniacal laughter ringing in my ears.

_Taste? _Besides the fact that my mouth was so dry that my tongue felt like sandpaper, I didn't taste much of anything else. No blood, at least, was a plus. That sounds kind of sad now that I think about it. Moving on...

_Touch? _Now that my mind was clearing up, I could farther evaluate my ordeal. Not only was there a blindfold covering my already masked eyes, there was also thick strands of rope tying my hands behind my back and my ankles together. _That was a big mistake,_ I thought as I went to work them off. Along with that, I could feel that my utility belt was gone, which wasn't good. I'd have to pick it up on the way to finding the rest of the team.

_Smell?_ I took another deep breath. The air was thick - I must be in a rather small room. It was musty and reminded me somewhat of..._shit._

We were underground - I was sure of it now.

Which meant that getting out of here was going to be a lot harder that I'd first thought.

By then I'd freed my hands, which immediately reached up to tug off the blindfold.

When I could see, I took in as many details as possible - which wasn't much.

The first thing I noticed is that I _was_ alone, which most likely meant that my friends were in separate rooms.

I was in a low-roofed room, which pretty much confirmed my theory. It somewhat resembled a bunker - with a granite floor, a granite ceiling, granite walls, and a granite door.

My compliments to interior decorator.

I finished untying the rope around my ankles and stood unsteadily, slightly stiff from being in the same position for who-knows-how long.

What happened next didn't exactly help with my sore muscles.

I probably should have seen it coming.

As soon as my fingertips touched the doorknob, electricity flowed from the metal and up my arm.

I let out a cry of surprise and pain as I jerked away and thumped back onto the floor, twitching every few moments before the volts left my system.

Panting, I opened and closed my eyes a few times before taking a shuddering breath.

So far, I was _really_ not feeling the aster.

* * *

**Ok, I know this is short, but I'm making it longer than just a chapter, and I'm tired.**

**Yes, this will have multiple chapters.**

**Wow, I am _really_ tired.**

**Well then, review my pretties!**

**You know I love all of you!**

**- Lizzie and Robin**


End file.
